


beneath the ash, you'll find my blood

by cinnamonscented



Category: Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: Alternate Universe - America, Alternate Universe - The Walking Dead Fusion, Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Blood and Gore, Canon-Typical Violence, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Multi, gotta love that trope, slow build/slow burn, think like... tokyo ghoul cast in twd's setting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-28
Updated: 2015-08-28
Packaged: 2018-04-17 18:18:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,476
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4676588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cinnamonscented/pseuds/cinnamonscented
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hide rearms himself with his golf club, though the entrance to their temporary apartment is only a few minutes away. Another rule this new world has taught him is that you never let your guard down, even when you feel safe.</p><p>Especially when you feel safe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	beneath the ash, you'll find my blood

**Author's Note:**

> Ok so this has been in my folder for actual months and, with school starting in a week, I know that if I don’t post it now I probably never will. So! Here I am showcasing my writing talent with a tokyo ghoul/the walking dead au literally no one asked for.
> 
> The entire thing is unbeta'd so all mistakes are mine, but I sincerely hope your reading experience is enjoyable nonetheless. ＼(*^▽^*)/

Hide likes video games. Loves them, even. He remembers the nights he’d hardly sleep; nights he stayed up until the sun peaked over the grey buildings of Tokyo, too busy battling another boss to even _consider_ getting into his futon. He couldn’t count on both hands how many times he’d been told that playing ‘Call of Duty’ would get him nowhere in life, how he’d regret wasting time on ‘Final Fantasy’ when he was 25 years old and without a job.

 

Apparently, a skillset consisting only of the ability slay pixelated dragons with a virtual sword isn’t very attractive to future employers.

 

As it is, Hide’s 19 now, and with barely enough time to wipe his own ass in peace, can’t even _begin_ to fathom sparing a thought for his younger self’s wasted potential. At the moment, that’s the least of his concerns – the most pressing being the fact that he’s just thrust the end of his golf club through the eye socket of a decomposing businesswomen in the middle of a derelict supermarket, and now has to figure out what to do next.

 

The zombie’s face – what’s left of it – is frozen in an expression of grotesque surprise, like it wasn’t expecting its head to be used as an impromptu golf ball. Its pinstripe suit, one that Hide guesses would have cost him more than two months’ rent back when money used to matter, is in ruins. The skirt is ripped to shreds, whatever fabric left reminiscent of a post-apocalyptic version of Tarzan’s loin cloth. Its blazer fairs better, but only by a small margin, with the sleeves torn off to reveal an array of vicious bite marks that litter the zombie’s forearms. Hide wonders briefly whether it died because of those, but decides on the much more likely probability of a death caused by a torn jugular, the remnants of which dangle garishly out of its rotting neck.

 

Hide sets his face as he forces the club in deeper, not managing to mask his cringe at the sound of its skull splintering to make way for the rest of the metal shaft; the zombie’s groans become disjointed and garbled, its gnashing teeth muting to quieter clicks. Hide wriggles the club about to make sure its brains are perfectly scrambled before wrenching it out in one sharp movement, trying not to gag as a liquefied mass of black and red goo spurts out of the impaled eye. The zombie drops to its knees before toppling over, landing on its side and giving one last world weary shudder before dying – for the second time.

 

In an instant, the adrenaline that was acting as Hide’s energy supply leaves him, and he slumps down against a metal shelf, breathing heavily. He wonders absently, as he concentrates on lowering his heart rate, if he’ll ever _really_ get used to this. It’s been half a year more or less, since the end of the world, and Hide’s taken down more zombies than he can keep track of. But, it’s hard to act indifferent when a day in his life would give horror fanatics enough new material to fill ten books.

 

Checking his watch, Hide scolds himself. The digital face reads 16:45, which means that he has 15 minutes left before he needs to meet Kaneki. He’s light-footed, and that’s a fact he takes pride in; even for him, this won’t be easy. Readjusting his grip on the golf club, Hide prods the zombie a few more times for good measure because it’s an unfortunate fact of this new world that out of the ten things you kill, at least half will refuse to stay dead. If evolution were a sentient being, Hide imagines that it’d be giving the Earth and its inhabitants the middle finger right about now.

 

Sighing, the blond stands and dusts himself off, assessing his surroundings. He’ll have to make this quick. Walking to the closest, least empty shelf, Hide unzips his backpack and begins tossing in whatever non-perishable food he can find. His hand hovers over a can of dog food but, although Hide respects those brave enough to consume gelatinised chicken feet, his lip still curls up in distaste at the thought. He would much rather not stoop down to levels that aren’t strictly necessary, and since he and Kaneki aren’t that desperate yet, bypasses it and reaches for what he hopes to be some tinned mackerel. Closing the backpack is a bit of a struggle but Hide manages to do it, albeit with some grunting and light cursing. He heaves the bag on his shoulders and pulls the straps down until they’re the farthest they can go – it’s tight, uncomfortable with the jars pressing into his back, but it won’t do for it to bounce around and make extra noise; attention is not something he wants.

 

Hide jogs on the spot for a second to make sure everything is secure before making his way up the rest of the aisle and crouching at the mouth. He glances left and right and, after ensuring that the coast is clear, straightens up and steps forward. In front of him are a row of checkouts, stretching from one end of the supermarket to the other, save for the sole entry and exit points located at the right side of the building. Hide actually chose this place for that particular architectural quirk, because it meant that there was only one area of the store that he had to be aware of while inside. The tripwire he’d set up when he entered the building, consisting of an old fishing line and some empty tin cans, hasn’t gone off – the zombie he dealt with being one that was already inside the store – meaning that, for now, Hide is safe.

 

_Well, as safe as someone can be in the middle of the apocalypse, anyways._

 

The windows at the front of the store have been boarded up with scraps of wood and cardboard, so although Hide is grateful that he’s being shielded from any wandering undead gazes, it also means that he doesn’t know what’s going on outside. There are a few gaps between the panels of wood, however, that let in the weak rays of the setting sun filter through into the dark building. Making his way over, Hide braces himself against the wood and stands on his tiptoes, peeking through one of the gaps. For a moment he can’t see anything as his eyesight adjusts to the brighter environment, but when his vision _does_ focus, he finds himself wishing that it didn’t.

 

Mostly because there’s a horde of zombies, not 6 metres from where he’s standing.

 

Hide rocks back onto his heels, stumbling a few paces because his legs suddenly feel like they’ve turned into jelly. His thoughts are a panicked jumble of _oh my god_ ’s and _what the hell do I do_ ’s, but the loudest and clearest amongst the fray is, _holy shit, Kaneki’s out there._ Hide slaps his face with both his hands, hoping that the tingling pain will help him calm down some. He looks at his watch again and, as if the universe is adding insult to injury, it’s 16:54 – aka, he’s got 4 minutes left. And even though their meetup point is just around the corner, so is a miniature legion of the undead. Hide rubs his temples where he can feel a headache coming on.

 

The thing is, he and Kaneki have a contingency plan for this. That is, if one of the two is late, the other will leave the meeting place and return to their base. Or at least, that’s how it _should_ work.

 

It’s a sensitive subject for them, with Hide arguing that _‘there’s no point if both of us die, idiot!_ ’ and Kaneki retorting with, _‘as if I’d ever abandon my best friend!_ ’ Hide was grateful for the sentiment back then, blamed his flushed cheeks on the unusual heatwave Tokyo had been experiencing (which wasn’t a lie), but curses it now as he watches in increasing desperation the 30 odd zombies shuffling their way down the street, getting closer and closer to the junction that he and Kaneki agreed to regroup at.

 

Hide considers his options: he briefly entertains the idea of trying to take them out, but quickly dismisses the thought. What’s a golf club to over two dozen hungry zombies? A diversion though, he could definitely do that…

 

There’s a handgun stored in the side pocket of his bag. Both he and Kaneki have one in case of emergencies, though admittedly Kaneki was much more reluctant to give Hide a gun after he almost blasted a hole in his foot that time he’d accidentally shot at a cockroach. In any case, he could use it now to take out a few zombies from the back of the pack, at a distance too, and the noise would draw the rest towards him and hopefully alert Kaneki as well. There’s a manhole a couple streets over, if he can make it there he’ll be able to use the sewers to find his way back to their place. Hide frowns – It’s a dangerous plan, filled with risks and more likely to fail than succeed, but he’ll be damned if he doesn’t do the one thing he can to help Kaneki.

 

Giving himself a final pep talk, Hide makes his way to the exit. His legs are trembling, whether it be from fear or adrenaline he’s uncertain, but Hide takes an extra moment to whack them into coercion. Of all the times they could give out on him, now is _definitely_ not one of them.

 

Straightening up, Hide exhales and – A hand grabs his shoulder.

 

Hide’s body reacts before he’s fully aware of the situation. Twisting out of the grip, he jumps back and raises the golf club above his head, ready to swing it down on his attacker like a bedraggled avenging angel, only stopping when he hears the person’s whispered yell of his name.

 

“Kaneki?!” Hide exclaims, dumbfounded much louder than the situation permitted. The boy in question rushes forward to slap a hand over the blonde’s mouth, shushing him as fiercely as he can without making too much noise.

 

“Keep your voice down!” Kaneki hisses frantically, glancing behind Hide before towing the boy back to the till points, crouching between two and pulling the other down to do the same. The look Kaneki gives Hide is withering to say the least, effect only ruined by the way the black haired boy’s hands are trembling and fisted – knuckles white – in Hide’s trousers. Hide places a hand over Kaneki’s, squeezing it reassuringly. He hopes he looks as apologetic as he feels, because, _yeah, outdoor voices are generally not best used when in the immediate vicinity of flesh eating monsters._

 

A metallic rattling noise near the front of the store catches both boys’ attention, and Hide’s eyes widen as a heavy sense of dread settles in the pit of his stomach; it’s his tripwire.

 

Kaneki looks at Hide, mouth opening to voice his query, when a low groan cuts him off. Kaneki’s mouth snaps shut and he inhales quick and sharp. They look at each other for a second before nodding. There’s no time to waste – zombies are never alone for long, after all.

 

Hide motions for Kaneki to move back before lying flat on his stomach and incrementally pulls himself forward until he can peek around the corner of the checkout. From his vantage point Hide can see that the zombie is still near the entrance, but is making its way to where he and Kaneki are hiding – which is, decidedly, not good.

 

Hide fumbles around behind him for… anything that will be of help, really, he isn’t picky. Something cold and rough is being pressed into his palm, and he turns around to see the piece of rubble that Kaneki has given him. The black haired boy juts his chin to the left, and Hide’s eyes widen in understanding. Gripping concrete lump in his hand he checks the position of the zombie. It’s definitely a lot closer now, only about 6 checkouts away.

 

Hide takes a deep breath and, with only _slightly_ shaking hands, throws the rock as far as he can without revealing his position. It hits the linoleum floor, but the blonde haired boy can barely hear it over the beat of his own heart. The impact must have reached the zombie well enough, because a deep, guttural noise escapes its chest as it stumbles with a renewed purpose to the origin of the sound.

 

Hide doesn’t get a chance to see what happens next because Kaneki is tugging urgently on his shirt, already crouching and ready to move.

 

“Follow me,” is all he says, and Hide scrambles, quietly, to do just that.

 

Kaneki leads them as they crawl behind the checkouts, heading in the opposite direction of the zombie. They are two aisles away from the exit when Kaneki pauses and points to the right. Hide furrows his eyebrows and is about to voice his question when a group of growls leaves his mind blank. In an instant, both he and Kaneki have their backs pressed against the end of a checkout each, faces pale. The black haired boy peers around the corner momentarily, before leaning back and looking a lot more terrified than he was a second ago.

 

“How many?” Hide mouths.

 

Kaneki bites his lip before looking at Hide and holding out his hand.

 

He puts all his fingers up.

 

Hide wants to laugh as he balls his hands into fists. He wants to be grateful that they aren’t dealing with the entire horde, but three zombies each is far from ideal. And that’s if they were properly armed, which, of course, they are not. Yes, they both have guns, but Hide will be damned if he uses his and rings the metaphorical dinner bell for the zombies’ 26 other undead friends. So taking that into account, all they have between them is a golf club that’s seen better days, and Kaneki’s well-used hunting knife.

 

Hide reaches behind him for the club that’s wedged in his bag, but a firm grip on his wrist stops him. Kaneki doesn’t say anything, but he doesn’t need to – he’s always had an expressive face, or maybe Hide just knows how to read him after all the years they’ve spent together.

 

Whatever the case may be, Hide’s 99% sure Kaneki is telling him not to do anything stupid, which, fair enough.

 

Kaneki looks around the checkout, nervous, but with an air of determination.

 

Turning back to Hide for the second time, he whispers, “There are two still near the exit, the other four are down at the other end,” unsheathing the knife that rests at his side, “The two, they aren’t facing us. If we can get them, then…”

 

Hide nods. If they can take them out, quickly and efficiently, the odds would be much more in their favour. Pulling out his own weapon, he looks at Kaneki and nods again.

 

They stand up.

 

Hide is the one that moves first, adrenaline replacing the blood in his veins as he swings his club towards the head of the zombie closest to him, knocking it to the ground. Kaneki is close behind him, plunging his knife into the skull of the other before it gets a chance to realise what has happened to its companion and exact the appropriate revenge thereafter.

 

Kaneki wrenches the knife out and the zombie drops to the floor with a thud.

 

Hide’s zombie, doesn’t go down so easily.

 

It reaches towards Hide’s leg and grabs his ankle, hissing and growling as it pulls its body towards the blonde haired boy. Hide yells, a panicked war cry, and aims his club at the zombie’s head, bringing it down repeatedly. Blood sprays up towards him like a special effect from some budget horror movie, painting Hide in droplets of red as, with one last hit, the zombie’s head caves in and its brain spill out onto the white floor.

 

Hide doesn’t get a moment to breathe before Kaneki is shouting, “Behind you –!”

 

He turns around just in time to see an ugly rotting face mere inches from his own, and it’s all that Hide can do to use his club as a barrier as the zombie bowls them over, landing on top of him with its teeth biting.

 

Hide tries to push it off but the thing is too damn heavy, and hungry, to be moved. Looking over its shoulder, he sees the remaining three zombies advance on Kaneki. The black haired boy is swinging his knife in front of him, but that does little to ward them off. Hide tries again with renewed vigour to free himself, thrashing his legs about in the hopes that being kneed in the groin has the same effect on the undead as it does on the living. However, his movements only seem to enrage the zombie further as its teeth snap a hairsbreadth away from Hide’s nose. Feeling nausea rise up in his stomach at the rancid breath that washes over his face Hide closes his eyes and curses the universe. Is this really how he’s going to die? How _they_ are going to die? No, not if Hide has anything to do with it, damnit, not today.

 

Letting go of one side of the club, but still barring the brute on top of him, Hide reaches for the side of his backpack where his fingers find cool metal. A shout from Kaneki leaves no time for Hide to second guess himself as he pulls the gun out, flicks off the safety, and shoots. The sound reverberates throughout the store, probably echoes throughout the entire town.

 

Feeling as if he’s just set off a time bomb, Hide shunts the zombie off of him and gets to his feet, aims at the purtifying bastard closest to Kaneki and pulls the trigger for the second time. It goes down in a shower of red, and gives the other boy enough time to plunge his knife into another decomposing skull. Hide picks his club up and rushes the final zombie, putting all his fear into one swing that dashes its brains out in an instant.

 

A passing silence settles around the pair as the weight of what Hide has done bears down on their shoulders; the low groaning, getting louder and louder in the background, snaps them into action.

 

“This way!” Kaneki yells, any pretence of silence and stealth abandoned on the floor next to the two bullet cases left from Hide’s gun.

 

Hide slips the weapon into the side pocket of his bag and runs after the black haired boy, who leads them to a door at the back of the store. His tripwire is going crazy, and if he focused he could probably work out exactly how many times it had been set off; how many zombies are inside the store, now, after them.

 

The sound of Kaneki ramming the door regains Hide’s attention, and he turns from where he had be staring down the dark aisle to see the black haired boy kneeling by the lock, knife out and slipped into the space between the door and the frame.

 

“It’s only locked from this side,” Kaneki spits through gritted teeth, “I didn’t think – why didn’t I check –?” 

 

Hide plasters on a smile that he hopes doesn’t look as fake as it feels.

 

“Don’t worry buddy,” he laughs – a strained sound, “You’re good at this stuff, you’ll be able to get it open in no time.” The unspoken _‘hurry’_ is heard louder than anything else.

 

Hide pulls his gun out.

 

If he squints he can make out the swaying mass of the undead that are steadily making their way towards Kaneki and him. Hide swallows hard as he tries to count the heads, but grouped together in a narrow, shadowed space, the individual zombies appear to merge into one amorphous decaying creature, whose collective groans and smell precede its physical form.

 

Hide wants to cover his nose but resists; he can’t afford to give up on accuracy when he’s got a terrifyingly low amount of ammo and far too many enemies to dispose of.

 

Hide doesn’t turn around when he addresses the boy behind him, “Hey, Ken, you nearly done?”

 

Kaneki doesn’t reply, so Hide hazards a glance over his shoulder and sees the boy in question with one hand clutching the handle of his knife, the other on the blade itself, jamming it with increasing desperation at where Hide assumes the locking mechanism is.

 

“It won’t budge,” Kaneki’s voice trembles, frustration and fear colouring his words, “It won’t – I can’t make it –” He cuts himself off with a grunt as he shoves the knife back in, wriggling it about with a panicked fervour.

 

It’s only then that Hide notices his hands are covered in blood.

 

Hide has to wrench his gaze away, however, as he refocuses on the onslaught of zombies before him. He’ll worry about Kaneki’s injuries later – when they’re not facing imminent death. Switching the safety off, Hide aims at the head of a zombie at the front of the pack and shoots. It drops to the floor but does little to stop the rest of the horde. Swallowing, Hide feels a cold tendril of fear wrap its way around his heart – constricting it.

 

He has five bullets left, and over twenty zombies to kill. If Kaneki doesn’t unlock that door in the next minute, they are going to die.

 

They are going to _die._

 

Hide’s heart is pounding, but his hands don’t shake as he targets the next zombie. Its lifeless eyes are trained on him, filled with a mindless hunger like no other. He pulls the trigger and watches as its brains splatter out behind it.

                                                                                                                       

He has four bullets left.

 

Kaneki is swearing profusely behind him, and Hide absently thinks how unlike him that is. Changing trajectory, he shoots a zombie that had been creeping its way much too quickly up the right side of the aisle.

 

Three bullets.

 

Hide doesn’t watch it fall because he’s already aiming at the next target, a large zombie with a massive gash on its abdomen; intestines out and swaying with its lumbering gait. It goes down the hardest.

 

Two.

 

A bead of sweat runs from Hide’s temple down to his chin. Drips to the floor. A scraggly zombie; more bones and cartilage then actual flesh, is the next to go.

 

One.

 

Hide inhales deeply but can hardly breathe around the thick inevitability that has permeated the air. He’s been surrounded by death for 6 months now, yet had never given any thought to how _he’d_ die. He probably should have, but hindsight is always perfect.

 

Hide’s hands are slick with sweat as his index finger twitches over the trigger. He needs to pull it. He knows he does. But pulling it means game over, and he’s not ready to give up yet.

_Not yet… Please!_

 

The sound of a bullet hitting metal makes Hide’s heart jump up to his mouth. Whirling on the spot he sees Kaneki clutching his gun with both hands; eyes wide, face pale, body trembling. Hide feels like time has slowed down. Kaneki is kicking the door down – an action that probably takes a second but feels like hours. The door swings open and Kaneki is facing Hide now, mouth open, yelling. The blonde haired boy can’t hear what’s being said, though, over the rushing water in his ears… or, is that his pulse?

 

Then it clicks.

 

A hand grabs his shoulder.

 

Kaneki fires his gun.

 

The bullet whizzes terrifyingly close to Hide’s face but embeds itself true into the skull of the zombie behind him, one that was about to take a chunk out of his neck. Hide feels like a match has been lit under his feet as he springs forward, adrenaline pumping through his system as his head clears and time rights itself once again. Running through the now open door, Kaneki shuts it behind them and slams his entire body weight against it as Hide frantically looks around for something to block it with. The blonde haired boy feels his heart drop as he comes up empty.

_Bull_ shit _is this how it ends. After all that? You’ve got to be kidding me!_

 

But it doesn’t change the fact that the only possible things Hide could offer Kaneki for assistance are three empty soap dispensers.

 

“Go.”

 

Hide looks at Kaneki, uncomprehending. Did he really just say what Hide thinks he did?

 

“What? No –”

 

“Now, Hide.” Kaneki’s voice is low and strained, coloured with fear, but… entirely sincere. And that’s what gives Hide his first taste of genuine terror since the beginning of this whole ordeal – since they found out through emergency broadcasts and half-static radio that some crazy doctor’s experiment had gone horribly wrong and released a virus that infected more than 80% of the world’s known population. The remaining 20% had been immune to the airborne variation of the illness, but a bite or a scratch from the infected and your fate was sealed.

 

Hide’s chest constricts. A life without Kaneki in this world is scarier than any rotting creature he’s ever had face.

 

Setting his jaw, Hide shakes his head and moves next to Kaneki to offer his weight against the door.

 

“Hide –!”

 

“Kaneki,” Hide interrupts, eyes blazing, “Don’t tell me to do something you know you wouldn’t.”

 

The black haired boy’s eyes widen, then narrow, “Stop being stubborn, Hide! There isn’t much time.”

 

As if on cue, the growls and thuds on the other side of the door increase in intensity. For a heart stopping moment, both Hide and Kaneki are jolted forward far enough that neither have their weight against the door, but Hide is the first to recover and jars his shoulder at the speed at which he braces himself against the wood. Kaneki is next to him a second after, sending a concerned glance his way when the blonde grunts in pain.

 

Hide’s silent for a minute as he wracks his brain for a solution that would leave them both mostly alive.

 

“How long do you think you can hold them back on your own?” He asks urgently. Kaneki is about to protest but Hide cuts him off before he can begin. _“Kaneki._ How long?”

 

“A minute,” he says slowly, “…maybe.”

 

“Okay,” Hide starts, “I’ll go first, and the second I’m through you sprint to the window and I’ll pull you up. Got it?” It’s a simple plan at best, but it’s the only one his mind can muster.

 

Kaneki nods, “Yeah, okay.”

 

Hide eyes him warily and Kaneki sends him a sour look for his trouble. “I don’t _want_ to die, Hide. I’ll follow you.”

 

Hide grins despite himself, all sunshine and teeth. “Good,” he says, “Because I don’t want you to die either.”

 

Kaneki sends him a small smile that translates more into a grimace as he’s jolted forward again and again. The undead were persistent, if anything.

 

Wiping any trace of amusement from his features, Hide looks at Kaneki again, and only when the other boy nods does he run to the window. It’s small and rectangular, and will definitely be a squeeze with the backpack he has, but it’ll do. It has to.

 

Thankfully, Kaneki had had the foresight to leave it open and, gripping the ledge, Hide pulls himself up and through the narrow opening. His shoulder screams in protest, and Hide has to grit his teeth against the sparks of pain that run up the length of his neck and back – but with one last heave, Hide falls out and onto the dumpster directly below the window.

 

Wasting no time, Hide gets up and leans back in, stretching his arms down for Kaneki to grab a hold of. The black haired boy is still pushing against the door and when he looks at Hide his eyes are wide and frightened. The minute Kaneki moves forward the door bursts open – impact hard enough to crack the ceramic tiling of the wall behind it. Three zombies fall into the room immediately and start crawling towards Kaneki, tailed by another dozen or so that trip and stumble their way in behind them.

 

Hide forces himself further through the window, going in as far as he can without falling and grasping Kaneki’s forearms. Once Hide’s sure his grip is as secure as possible, he throws his weight backwards and half hauls the black haired boy out the window. Kaneki’s feet are scrabbling for purchase on the smooth wall, but end up doing nothing but entice the hungry horde that have now filled the bathroom. Kaneki feels one of them bite his shoe and he lets out a cry as he begins thrashing wildly, kicking out with a sudden kamikaze strength that connects his steel toe capped boot with the heads of multiple undead. Hide spits out curses and, with a bruising grip on Kaneki’s arms, pulls him out the last merciful centimetres to safety. They fall backwards, off the edge of the dumpster and onto the tarmac, Kaneki sprawled on top of Hide.

 

Neither of them say anything for a moment as they lie still, breathing hard. Hide glances at Kaneki, whose eyes are screwed shut as he clutches handfuls of Hide’s shirt in both hands.

 

Hide’s pulse is still half choking him as it beats in his throat, but he can’t stop the chuckle that escapes his lips. Then, as if a dam has broken inside of him, the blonde is only able muffle the sounds as bursts of relieved, delirious laughter bubble up from inside him. Kaneki sits up and gives Hide the most incredulous look he can muster which only serves to fuel the other boy’s amusement, tears pooling at the corners of his eyes as his entire frame shakes with the force of his laughter. Kaneki can only frown for a moment longer before he chuckles himself, unable to remain calm in the face of Hide’s unbidden joy.

 

The blonde sits up, snickering as he throws an arm around Kaneki.

 

“Why are we laughing again?” The black haired boy asks, eyebrow quirked and mirth twinkling in his eyes.

 

Hide smiles wide, “Because we’re alive!” he shouts, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

 

Whether it is or it isn’t, Kaneki is still looking at him with the same fondly exasperated expression as he stands up. Hide thinks he understands, though, in the way Kaneki offers a hand to the blonde, squeezing his fingers for a moment before releasing them, the way he admires the sunset’s orange hue for a beat longer than usual.

 

Hide is still looking at him with a small smile when the black haired boy notices and gives him a strange look. Schooling his features, Hide glances around them. The streets are empty, abandoned cars and the occasional tree alike casting eerie shadows that stretch and loom as dusk begins to shape their surroundings.

 

“You think those guys were the only ones here?” Hide asks, eyes still scanning.

 

Kaneki hums, a thoughtful sound, “I’d rather not stay and find out.”

 

Hide laughs, “Man, I’m with you on that one.”

 

Kaneki sends him a wry smile as they move to the centre of the junction, their original meetup place. Hide thinks there’s something ironic about that, but he’s too drained to comment on it. Maybe later, after a nice bath and some warm soup. Kaneki kneels down and unsheathes his knife, prying open the manhole and sliding the metal plate aside. Pulling out a torch from his backpack, he eases into the dark space, descending a few steps before flicking the device on and lighting up the sewer below. He gives Hide the all clear and carries on climbing down the ladder. When there’s enough space for the blonde haired boy, Hide latches onto the ladder himself and slides the manhole back into place, plunging the two into darkness.

 

Kaneki drops to the ground and shines the torch down both ends of the tunnel before illuminating the small red spray painted circle on the wall directly opposite the ladder. It had been an idea of his, after they’d gotten lost one time too many in the maze of various sewers, to give some sort of trail to follow that would guide them back to their base. Hide had insisted on the marks being big and bold so as to avoid being missed in a hurry, but that had ended up in the pair being jumped and robbed of everything they had by a group of thugs that were nasty and smart – noticing the symbols and lying in wait for the fools that drew them.

 

Kaneki decided from then on, with his bloody lip and swollen cheek, that subtlety was the better tactic. Hide, sporting his own black eye and near-broken nose, was inclined to agree.

 

Kaneki turns the flashlight off and the two walk in silence, ears straining, each with a hand on the wall each to orient themselves. Unfortunately, despite their rapidly deteriorating vision, zombies could still discern light from dark, and their hearing was a lot better than was warranted for the half-rotting bastards that they were.

 

Hide pauses as they reach a junction and allows Kaneki to step out in front of him and shine the torch. After locating the second red dot, they turn right and walk for a few more minutes in silence before reaching the second ladder. Hide ascends it first, Kaneki not far behind.

 

They make sure that their movements are quiet as they near the top of the ladder – one wrong, loud move could alert another possible horde of zombies to their position, which is honestly something Hide would like to avoid. Two near death experiences in one day is a bit much, even for him.

 

Some light filters through the gap between the manhole and the road, and is enough for Hide to make out Kaneki’s face as he looks down at the other boy.

 

_Do we go?_

Kaneki hesitates, straining for his ears to pick up any sounds that could alert him to possible danger. Hearing nothing, he gives Hide a nod.

 

Hide looks back up and, taking a deep breath, slowly lifts the cover and peeks through the narrow gap. There doesn’t seem to be anything to his right, so he slowly turns until he’s got a view of what’s to his left.

 

Nothing again, aside from the usual debris.

 

Can they really be this lucky? Is the universe possibly compensating them for the shitshow they had to deal with not thirty minutes before? Whatever the cause for this quasi-peace, Hide isn’t going to question it.

 

Ducking back down, he lifts the manhole cover up completely and slides it to the side. Hide sticks his head out and glances left and right, properly taking in his surroundings. It’s still light out, but the sun has long since set; the sky instead taking on the purplish/blue shade of early evening.

 

Getting out, Hide rearms himself with his golf club, though the entrance to their temporary apartment is only a few minutes away. Another rule this new world has taught him is that you never let your guard down, even when you feel safe.

 

Especially when you feel safe.

 

Kaneki is sliding the manhole back into place when Hide looks over to him and, together, they walk over to the chainlink fence, undoing the different bolts in place and slipping through before redoing them once they’re on the other side.

 

Hide is on the dumpster, about to jump and bring the fire exit’s emergency stairs down when Kaneki grasps his ankle. The blonde boy sends him a confused look and is met with a face mixed with annoyance and concern. Kaneki climbs up onto the dumpster next to him and pushes Hide back.

 

“Don’t think I haven’t noticed the faces you’ve been making every time you move your shoulder,” Kaneki states, eyebrow raised.

 

Hide pouts but doesn’t back down. “Your hands aren’t any better, Ken, I saw the way you sliced them up back there.” The blond grabs the other boy’s hands and brings them up between them, scrutinising them in the fading light, “What were you trying to do, huh? Make sushi?”

 

Kaneki glowers at Hide and snatches his hands out of the blonde’s grip.

 

“Leave it, Hide. What are you going to do if you strain your shoulder too much? It’s not like there are any physiotherapists we can visit!” Kaneki retorts, “My hands might scar, so what? What’s a couple scars to permanent muscle damage?”

 

Hide huffs and shuffles his feet – annoyed at Kaneki’s logic. Stepping back in acquiescence, Hide allows the black haired boy to make the metre jump to the stairs, noting with a frown the way Kaneki falters when he grips the rungs too hard. The stairs slide down with a loud rattle that puts Hide on edge as he jumps off the dumpster and goes to climb up to the first floor of the fire exit.

 

Their temporary home is on the third floor – not high up enough to be a struggle getting down, but not low down enough to be accessible by any unwanted guests – living or otherwise. Kaneki kneels down and draws up the stairs, locking them into place with a click. Climbing up the remaining two flights, Hide steps back again and allows Kaneki to jimmy their window open, sliding through the gap and holding it open so that Hide can do the same.

 

Once inside, Hide shuts the window behind him and flicks the latch, making sure it’s properly closed before drawing over the curtains. Kaneki is at the kitchenette when Hide turns around, first aid kit out as he tends to his shredded hands. Hide wants to go and help but the throbbing of his shoulder – aching of his entire body, really – says otherwise. He lets out a groan that rivals the best zombie as he shrugs off his backpack and allows himself fall face first onto the sofa. Hide has enough sense left in him to toe off his boots before resting his feet on the arm; completely spent. He lets his eyes slide shut for what feels like a few minutes before something cool presses against his cheek. Hide grunts and tries to shy away from the uncomfortable sensation, but it just pushes against his face more insistently.

 

“Hide,” Kaneki sighs, “You have to eat something.”

 

The blonde boy grumbles but slowly sits up, making space for the other boy as he leans heavily against the soft back cushions. Kaneki presses two cans into his hands – pineapple and peach – and Hide mumbles his thanks as he starts eating.

 

Between a mouth full of syrupy fruit, Hide asks, “How are your hands?”

 

Despite his exhaustion, Kaneki still manages to send the blonde an unimpressed look at the way some of the juice escapes his lips and runs down his chin. Grabbing a doily off of the coffee table (Hide briefly questions the original homeowners sense of style) the black haired boy wipes the mess off Hide’s face, throwing the dirty fabric behind him once he’s done.

 

“How old are you again?” Kaneki asks dryly. “Anyway,” he continues, not waiting for an answer, “are you nearly done? I want to take a look at your shoulder before you pass out again.”

 

Hide grins sheepishly as he sets the empty cans on the table in front of him. He goes to remove his shirt, but hisses when his shoulder protests, rather painfully.

 

“Hide?” Kaneki questions, worried. His hands flap around, unsure where to place them.

 

“Ah,” Hide manages to gets out, “I… uh, might need some help taking this off.”

 

Kaneki narrows his eyes in concern before standing up and rummaging through his bag, making a noise of satisfaction when he finds whatever it is he was looking for. Coming back to sit by Hide, he brandishes his prize – a pair of fabric scissors. Hide squirms, trying to edge away from Kaneki – it’s not that Hide doesn’t trust him, per say, it’s just that he’s not exactly willing to lose a limb tonight.

 

“Hide,” Kaneki’s voice is sharp.

 

_Busted._

“Stop being a baby and sit still,” he huffs, cheeks puffed out a bit.

 

Well, at least Hide gets to be mortally wounded by something cute.

 

Kaneki bites his lip as he concentrates on cutting the fabric of Hide’s shirt away – taking particular care to not to jostle his shoulder or accidentally nip any skin. The green fabric falls away, unsalvageable. It’s not a loss in any case, covered in splatters of zombie blood as it was.

 

Kaneki’s sharp inhale regains Hide’s attention as he looks over to see what’s alarmed the other boy. Kaneki's gaze is zeroed in on Hide’s shoulder, one hand clutching a scrap of fabric, the other the scissors – both slightly shaking. The blonde boy looks down and even his own eyes widen a bit.

 

Hide’s shoulder is completely purple, though he can’t say he didn’t expect it. Grasping one of Kaneki’s hands, Hide looks the other boy in the eye.

 

“Would you believe me if I told you that it’s not as bad as it looks?”

 

“No, I wouldn’t. Hide, your shoulder is purple. _Purple._ ” Kaneki sets down the scissors and reaches up to trace the bruise with fluttering fingers. Though his touch is gentle, it still feels like a thousand tiny needles are pricking his skin, and Hide can’t help the way his jaw clenches involuntarily. Kaneki notices and drops his hand back into his lap. “Idiot. Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

 

Hide attempts to shrug and immediately regrets the decision. “What good would it have done? We were sort of… busy,” he says, alluding to the terror they faced that day, “I’d take a busted shoulder over being zombie food any day – Hey, don’t look so down, buddy.” Hide flicks Kaneki on the nose and offers one of his signature smiles, sincere, albeit fatigued.

 

Kaneki returns it with a small upturn of his lips – a ghost of a smile – but Hide considers it a win nonetheless. Standing up, the black haired boy gathers their first aid kit and settles back next to Hide, sorting the contents out on the coffee table.

 

“This really should be iced,” he mutters to himself, grabbing a roll of bandages instead. Directing his next question at Hide, he asks, “Do you think you can hold on until tomorrow? I’m sure I saw a pharmacy… We can stock up our kit there before we leave.”

 

“I’ll be fine. Peachy, even.” He grins, flexing his good arm, “Don’t worry about me, Ken. I’m stronger than I look!”

 

Kaneki tightens the white bandage he’d been wrapping around Hide’s shoulder, causing the blonde boy to let out an undignified yelp.

 

“Hey!” Hide protests, “That was completely uncalled fo–”

 

The words die in Hide’s mouth when he realises Kaneki is laughing.

 

_Oh well._

Smiling to himself, Hide relaxes back into the sofa and lets Kaneki finish the compression for his shoulder, only wincing when strictly necessary.

 

Tying the loose ends of the bandage together, Kaneki gently pats Hide’s shoulder, “Okay, all done.”

 

The blonde haired boy shifts his arm a bit to check the mobility. Satisfied, he beams at Kaneki. “Thanks doc!”

 

The black haired boy is unamused. “Really.”

 

“Yes really,” Hide decides he has enough energy left to fuel his dramatics. “Tell it to me straight, doc,” He laments, throwing an arm over his eyes, “How long do I have left?”

 

Kaneki scowls and throws the closest thing he can find at Hide’s face. Hide thanks his lucky stars that it’s a pillow.

 

“You’re not funny.” The black haired boy deadpans, moving off Hide’s sofa and reclining on the one opposite it.

 

“Not funny?” Hide gasps, mock offended, “You wound me.”

 

“I’m sure,” Kaneki agrees, “Now get some rest. We’ve got an early start tomorrow.”

 

Hide mumbles something unintelligible about ‘not having a lie in since last August’ and ‘always getting up at the asscrack of dawn’ but grabs the blanket draped over his sofa and rearranges himself into a more comfortable position anyway.

 

Hide’s eyes slide shut the minute his head hits the cushion; events of the day fading into the gentle oblivion that sleep provides. Briefly, he wonders about the future: where they’ll find their next home; their next meal, ponders, even, of the fate of humanity. But all that can wait for later.

 

For now, Hide lets the sound of Kaneki’s breathing reassure him as he drifts away.

**Author's Note:**

> SO FIRST THINGS FIRST I want to apologise if Hide or Kaneki were OOC – this was my first time writing them and I wasn’t really sure how to approach their characters, in that, I didn’t know how much they would change in a universe like this. I tried my best though, so I hope they weren’t too bad.
> 
> Comments are greatly appreciated – I love hearing what you guys think and they’re honestly such massive motivators for me. I’m not trying to guilt trip anyone or anything like that, but they seriously make my day (´⌣`ʃƪ)
> 
> In regards to the rest of this fic/updates etc. I started seriously planning the entire thing, but that was taking way too long and I really just wanted to start writing it. So basically, the first arc and a half is structured, but after that it’s kind of a free-for-all ╮(─▽─)╭ 
> 
> But anyways, thanks for reading!


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